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Smugglers' Rendezvous
Reference Book: Star Wars Saga Edition Scum and Villainy "Smugglers' Rendezvous" is a mini-adventure designed for 4th-level heroes. It gives smuggler heroes an opportunity to do what they do best: move illegal goods from one place to another without paying the usual trade tariff. Adventure Outline The heroes hear that a smuggler has come into some "Nonmanifest" cargo that he needs to unload, and he's looking for a buyer. The smuggler, Vordell, has a dozen crates of assorted detection and surveillance gear- 150 units in all, worth approximately 58,000 credits- and he is looking to trade for weapons. Conveniently, the heroes know of a shipment of Imperial blaster rifles that got routed to Barab I by mistake. Unknown to the heroes, the Empire has been tracking Vordell, and shortly after the heroes make arrangements to meet him, Imperial customs officers arrest him on a separate charge. Desperate, Vordell convinces the officers to drop the charges against him if he helps them recover a shipment of stolen blaster rifles. Intrigued, the customs officers agree and escort Vordell to his rendezvous on a small moon known as Phinel's Folly. There, a number of customs agents hide around the rendezvous site, and wait for a signal from Vordell to pounce. Bargain on Barab I Main Article: Bargain on Barab I Even though the heroes are aware of the lost shipment of blaster rifles on Barab I, they have never had an opportunity- or the spare funds- to pick them up. Now, though, they should make enough from the sale to afford some needed repairs on their ship- maybe even some upgrades. Journey to Phinel's Folly Main Article: Journey to Phinel's Folly After the heroes depart Barab I, they have a short trip to Phinel's Folly in the Auril Sector. Unfortunately for the heroes, an Imperial Interdictor-Class Star Destroyer, Chokehold, has recently been stationed near Mon Calamari in an effort to capture Rebel ships that have been helping the Mon Calamari escape the Imperial occupation of their watery world. As the heroes' ship passes by, it gets caught in the Chokehold's gravity field and drops out of Hyperspace. A message from Chokehold orders the heroes to cut their engines and allow their ship to be tractored into the Interdictor's main hangar, boarded, and searched. If the heroes have valid travel permits- and are not carrying any contraband- the entire process should amount to no more than a minor inconvenience, and the heroes can be on their way inside the hour. Arrival Main Article: Arrival When the heroes arrive at Phinel's Folly, they detect Vordell's ship, The Lost Opportunity, in a small canyon- though its crew is being held aboard The Auditor, which is hidden in a particularly large gorge several kilometers away. Vordell signals the heroes and gives them the coordinates of the drop site- a warren of ravines a few kilometers from his ship. He tells the heroes of a good-sized canyon to land in, about 500 meters west of the rendezvous site, and suggests that they leave their engines running, in case any Imperial ships show up. Betrayal on Phinel's Folly Main Article: Betrayal on Phinel's Folly SETUP: This encounter serves as the climax of "Smugglers' Rendezvous". The Stormtroopers and their lieutenant appear only after Vordell gives the signal, moving quickly to take up positions that block the passages out of the gorge. The lieutenant stays out of sight at first, waiting in the cave to the south. If any of the heroes have taken up positions that would otherwise prevent the Stormtroopers or the lieutenant from occupying the indicated positions (Without being immediately spotted). use your best judgment to place them where they can still block the exits. If the heroes brought along the cargo crate containing the Blaster Rifles, allow them to place it anywhere in the gorge (But not in the cave or blocking the ravines). Conclusion Main Article: Conclusion If Vordell survives the battle and the heroes defeat the Stormtroopers, he begs the heroes' forgiveness and says that the Imperials tortured him. "They were looking for these blaster rifles", he lies. "They caught me right after I talked to you, and threatened to torture my crew, too, if I didn't help them capture you." If the heroes believe him, Vordell thanks them for rescuing him, finishes the negotiations as expeditiously as possible, and sets out for his ship, along with Kollu and Tram (If they also survived), planning to get far away before the heroes realize that he betrayed them.